Tension mechanism



Dec. 26, 1944. c. s. cAFFRl-:Y V2,366,143 Y TENSION MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 24, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l auml,

Dec. 26, 1944. c, s. cAr-'FREY TENSION MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1942 l ,wem/tofu Oy/IPLES .9. awt-PREV,

Patented Dec. `26, 1944 TENsIoNMEoHANIsM `Charles S. Caffrey, Port Washington, N. Y., as-

signor to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corpora'- tionpPlaineld, N. J., a corporation ofvirgina.

` Application January 24, 1942, serial' No. 428,1 i romans.` (01.242-58) `My invention is described here as relating to improvements in machinery for supplying rolls of paper to printingpresses and the like under denite control of tension. Specifically my invention is in a web tension mechanism by which the normal tension on a web of newsprint paper can be maintained as it is fed from an unwinding reel. It is conventional practice to feed a web of newsprint paper until the supply of one reel is depleted whereupon the web is` spliced to one on a fresh reel andthe Vfeeding continued with a minimum of slackening or interruption.' Generally the tension of the web onV an unwinding reel has been held to the desired amount by having the reel or` roll contact travelling belts"` driven by the printing press at a speed approximately two percent below the speed of the web and thus governing the tension of the latter by the tightness of the belt. changers are also in general use for. semi-auto-` matically splicing on afresh roll before the un-4 winding `roll is depleted. When the tension of the running belt and the web roll changer are used together it becomes desirable and even necessary to stop` the running belts during the change in rolls, holding the tension of the web in thiscase by the tightness ofthe beltswhich have been brought to stationary positions. Experience has shown that stopping these belts causes `a sudden increase inlV the tension of the web frequently causing the paper to `tear under the belts. Itis to prevent this diiiiculty that my improved mechanism which will be described is intended. y l

A further object of my invention is to maintain a normal desired tension on the web during its feeding from they reel regardless of the extent to which the unwinding diminishes the diameter of the roll.

A further object of myrinvention is to provide means to bring the `tension on the web back to normal if it becomes either too `great or too small. A still further object of my invention is to provide means for controlling the `tension of the running belts from the degree of tension existing at that moment in the web being fed.

Full speed web roll the preferred embodimentof my invention. In the drawings l l l l Fig. 1 is .adiagrammatic side view in elevation of my improved web tension mechanism as applied to the conventional newsprint magazine reel, l

brush and knife arm,` running belt, tension equipment and floating roller;

Fig. 2 is a similar side view `with a driving` clutch, brush and knife` arm and floating roller in theposition formaling semifautomatic roll changes and y l A Fig. 3 is `a simplified diagram ofthe pneumat-` ically operated mechanism forcontrolling the tightness ofthe running tension belts from the floating roller. l

' Briefly describedtmy` invention consists rst in provision for `using the variation in tension of the web being fed to controlthe tension of the running belts upcnthat web thus bringingthe l tension of the web back to the normal desired amount, Incidental `to this the drag of the travelling belts is first slackened and then the belts are stopped whenever the` web is spliced. f This' gives pa desired slackening to the web tension and makestthe latter dependent upon the interruption or resumption in the movement of the running belts. v

The drawings show 4the usual main supporting shaft 4 `for a magazine reel. This reellhas spiders 5 each with three equally rspaced arms which in;

, turn form-` journals w for therolls of newsprint `Among the objects of my inventionis the fur-f` ther one of automatically slaolrening the ten- `sion of the running belts .and iinally stopping' their travel entirely during the period when the web `from a reserve roll is l, being spliced to the end of a depleted roll. l V

l 'I'he accompanying drawings illustrate in dia- The tension by; which the web 9 held in'itsf movement is 'controlled by a series of running belts of which one only is illustrated at I I These beltsv runover idle `pulleys i2, ;l3` and M, in a Countereolcckwise direction and at the desired speed.V As above-indicated `thisis generally" slightlyA below the speed ofl the web `as called for by .the Dress. A tension pulley I5 is provided to control the `tension of the beltsl l. The travel of 'the beltsgis-accomplished lby drive roller It the shaft o f whichhasa mitergear I 1. l

A corresponding miter gear I8 is mounted on shaft-19;- lThe. upper` end of `shaft `I9 carries va miter gear/20 in-mesh with mitergea-r 2| on grammatic form and by way of" example only, 55,` shaft 22,v j` 4 `replaced by onej of the reserve rolls p Asprocket chain 26.

Shaft 22 is journalled in standards 23 and 24. A sprocket wheel 25 turns loosely upon shaft 22 and is driven by means of sprocket chain 26 from the printing press.

SprocketI wheel 25 has a clutch member 21. The standard 24 has a brake member 28 fastened thereto and concentrically surrounding shaft 22.

Intermediate the clutch member 21 and the. brake 28 there is a clutch member 29 keyed upon shaft 22 for sliding'movement into contact with either the clutch 21 or the brake 28.

vThis clutch is operated by means of a clutch' collar 30 engaged by trunnions 3l. on the. shift lever 32. In normal operation during the runy ning of the roll clutch members 21v and 29 are held in engagement and travelling belts I I are driven at the desired speed by power from theA When the, clutch lever 32 is shifted to the left of Figure 1 clutch member 29 is rst separated from clutch member 21 so that the latter ceases to rotate shaft 22. Completion of the movement brings clutch 29 in engagement with brake 28 thus holding the belts II station? ary, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the bending roll I0 the web passes around and simultaneously cut the web `9 between the a oating roller 33. l This rollerv is journalled on 1 a rock arm 34 fastened to rock shaft 35 suitably journalled in xed bearings. The rock shaft f 35 carries a weight arm 36 having a suitable advertical position from which it may oscillate some twenty degrees in either direction under the joint influence ofthe drag'from the printing press and the opposing weight 31. .r

Rock shaft 35 carries a cam 38. Opposite the cam is an air valve 39, the plunger 40 of' which rests in contact with the face of the cam 38. In this way the degree of` opening the air valve v39 is controlledby thev position of the rock arm 34 and thus indirectly affectedr by the tension of the web 9. Movement of the rock arm 34 to the right as seen in Fig. 1 which would result when the web becomes slack and the weight 31 causes the floating roller to move to the right, serves to openair valve 39 allowing air kto pass from the supply to a suitable tension adjusting means for the` travelling belts I I. v Conversely when the tension of the web becomes too tight causing'thev floatingvroller 33 tomove to the left, then valve 4I shuts oi the air supply an'dl'essens the ten point of attachment and the spindle of roll 6. During this operation furthery rotation `of the roll 6 would be objectionable as unwinding paper onto the floor or up into the mechanism. However, this can be prevented by stopping the Atraveelling belts II during the splicing operation. It isdesirable to avoid causing a momentary strain on the web by stopping the belts too suddenly. This can be avoided by slackening the belts prior to stoppingthem. To accomplish this brush arm 44` has-an opposite extension 41 pivotally connected to a rod 48 forming a link connection with the shifting lever 32 of4 the clutch and brake. Thus whenV the arm'44 is lowered to make the change in the rolls, the clutch is rstdisconnected, causing a slackening in the drag of the belts II and nally sto-pping 'the latter when the brake members 28 and 29 engage.

Pivotally secured to arm extension 41 isa second link or rod 49 which passes through the rock arm 34. Stops 50, 50 provide desired degree of lost motion between the link 49 andthe rock arm 34. These stops, however, are so adjusted. that when the knife arm 44 is lowered, the arm extension 41 andthe floating roller 33 are pulled to the left. This closes air valve 39 caus- 42 carries ,the tension roller I5. Ihus opening the air valve 39 increases. the downward `pres sure on the tension rollerl5 but closing the air valve will relieve the pressure on the tension roller I5 and the consequent` tension of the belts ing air pressure to the belt tightening cylinders' 42.150' be reduced. In this way lowering the knife arm 44 simultaneously slackens the tension on the'belts and stops their travel. Furthermore when the knife arm 44 is raised after `the splice is completed, the belts are then set yrunning and air pressure to the chamber 42 restored under the automatic control of the floating roller 33.

From the'above description it will be evident that I have provided an arrangement by whichy the pull exerted by the printingl press upon the web ofpaper being fed is opposed by a normal tension and any variation in the pull provides a correspondingr variation in the tension exerted on the web at the point where it leaves the roll. When the pull becomes abnormally great, tension on the web is lessened and vice versa until the normal desired pull is restored. This arrangementalso compensates for differences caused by they degree by which the supply of paper is removed from the roll.

' In addition the drag` of `the tension belts is first slackened and then the travel completely stopped incidental to the splicing operation carried out by the knife and brush arm. Conversely restoring this arms position to normal throws into operation the feed of the web vat the normal desired tension. The new roll 1 `must be rotated into the normal running position in contact with belts II before the web tensioning means will operate in its normal manner.

The several details of the mechanism are subject to change and variation without departing from the scope of the invention as set out more particularly in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a rollof paper and. a bending roller receiving a, web from said roll, a rock arm, a floating roller carried by the arm for receiving the web from the bendingroller, a

rock shaft carrying the arm, a counter-weight on the shaft, acam on the shaft,` a uidpressure valve controlled by the cam, a running tension belt bearing on the roll of paper, driving` means for the belt,` a tension roller resting by gravity on the belt, a vertical piston above the roller and upon which the rolleris journallerlf, a fiuid pressure chamber for urging the piston downwardly against the `be1t and means connecting said chamber with the pressure valve.

2. In combination with a roll ofpaper and a bending roller ,receiving a Web from `said roll, a

i rock arm, a floating rollercarried bythe arm for` receiving the Web from the bending roller, a rock shaft carryingthe arm, a counter-weight on the shaft, a running tension belt bearing onthe roll of paper, a driving roller for the belt, gearing linkage from the knife arm to theclutch, and

valve controlled by the cam, a running tension -belt bearing on the roll of paper, driving means r for the belt, fluid pressure operated means for forsaid driving roller, a tension roller for the belt, fluid pressure `means `for exerting pressure y from the tension roller to the belt, a cam on the rock shaft, means `actuated, thereby to supply said fluid pressuremeans, and common means `for interrupting the `drive through the gearing and for diminishing the fluid pressure supply.

, `3. In combination with a `roll of paperand a bending roller receiving a web fromsaid roll, a rock arm, afloating roller carried by the arm for changingthe bearing action of the belt on the roll, means connecting the last `mentioned means With the fluid pressure valvesaid belt driving means including a-clutch, al pivoted knife arm,

linkage from the knife arm to the clutch, separate linkage` from the knife arm to the rockarm and a lost-motion connection `betweenthe rock arm and the second mentioned linkage.

6. In combination With a roll of paper and a bending roller receiving a Web from said roll, a rock arm, a fioating roller carried by the arm receiving the web from the bending roller, a rock i `shaft carrying the arm, a counterweight on the i shaft, a cam on the shaft, a fluid pressure Valve receiving the Web from the bending roller, a rock l y shaft carrying the arm, a counter-weight on the l shaft, a cam on the shaft, a fluid pressure valve i controlled by the cam, a running tension belt bearing on the roll of paper, driving means for the,` belt, `fluid pressure operated means for changing the bearing action of the belt on the roll, means connecting the last mentioned means with `the uid pressure valve, said beltdriving meansincluding a clutch, aupivoted knife arm ,and meansactuated by said knife arm to release the clutch and close the `fluid pressure valve when the knife arm approaches the web.

'4.` In combination with a `roll of paper and a bending roller receiving a web from "said roll, a rock arm, a floating roller carried by the arm for receiving the web from the bending roller, a

' rock shaft carrying thearm, a counter-Weight `on the shaft, a cam on the shaft, a fluid pressure valve controlled by the cam, a running tension belt bearing on the roll of paperjdriving means for the belt, fluid` pressure operated means for changing the bearing action of the belt on the roll, means connecting the last mentioned means with the fluid pressure valve, said belt driving controlled by the cam, a running tension belt` bearing on the roll of paper, fluid pressure operated meansfor changing the tension in the belt, means `connecting said fluid pressure operated means With the valve, belt driving means for the i bending roller receiving a web from said` roll, a

@the shaft, a cam on theshaft, a uid pressure belt, including a clutch, and means` for simultaneously arresting the travel of the belt andre,-

ducing its tension on`the web. l f l "7. In combination with a roll of `paper and a rock arm, a floating roller carried by the arm receiving the web from the bending roller, a rock shaft carrying the arm, a counter-Weight on valve controlled by the cam, a series of tension belts bearing on the roll of paper, fluid pressure operated means forv changing the tension inthe belts, means connecting said fluid pressure operated means with the valve, belt driving means for the belt including a clutch, a knife arm operating betvveensaid belts, and means actuated by the knife armfor simultaneously arresting the travel of the belts and reducing their tension on the web.` i

means including a clutch, a pivoted knife arm,

` crfARLEsscAFFREY. 

